VIRUS-FIRST DRAFT OF A SHORT STORY BY CHERYL V.

VIRUS

Michael Pauley, a reporter for New York news, one snowy morning arrived at his office. He had jus come from a lab, that morning, after getting hold of some tube which, for some odd reason, wasn’t labeled. And he didn’t become aware of this until he arrived at his destination.

Some guy, Paul Horton, originally, had advertised about this tube being under suspicion in the local newspaper. And this guy jus wanted more information, concerning why this one unlabeled tube, had never earned justification for being in the lab in the first place. So, then, jus before Michael had left the lab, that morning, he suggested, that he take some action, right away. And bring up what he learned about this tube, if anything, at the conference which the two were going to attend, that morning, with all the other reporters for New York news.

However, little did Paul know that Michael jus wanted to bring up the subject of the unlabeled tube in his own way during the conference? What he really craved was more attention from the other reporters, so that he could possibly get as much publicity as he could. He wanted a raise because he felt; he wasn’t getting paid enough for his job.

So as Paul walked into the conference room, and it is almost time for the conference to start, little did Paul know, that there never had been a conference, scheduled for that morning. So, as Paul took a seat at the wooden table inside the room, Michael still was inside his office, checking over the unlabeled tube, he had picked up at the lab, trying to figure out, how the tube even got into the lab with a label without anyone, knowing about it.

Then, since, Michael’s an inspector, although, not for a specific company, he, then, took a chance, and opened up the tube, hoping to find something inside of it, not knowing at the time, that in doing so could be risky to his life. However upon opening up the tube, all of a sudden, he jus happened to breathe in the contents of the tube, and started sneezing very hard.

He didn’t want to take any chances, so he, then, quickly, put on an oxygen mask which he kept in his desk, jus in case, he ever got sick with the flu or any kind of virus. Because he has had asthma for as long as he can remember as a result of having been a heavy smoker for quite a few years, although, he quite smoking about a year ago.

He had an urge to dump out the whole contents of the tube, and empty it into a wastebasket. However, something held him back from doing such a silly thing, although, after putting on a pair of plastic gloves, he did happen to pull out a piece of paper which did have some special code on it which he felt, he had to try to decipher. Something inside his mind told him, that it could be a matter of life or death, though, not necessarily to him, if he didn’t try to break the code.

So, then, he took a decoder out of his top desk drawer, and then, spent about an hour, trying to break the code. He wasn’t able to figure out all of the code, but he did figure out the most important words in the code. And those words came out to be: Anthrax, a virus known only to kill numerous brain cells.

Then, he, carefully, wrote these words on the outside of the tube, and then, he threw the piece of paper into an old wastebasket in his office. After lighting a match, and setting it on fire, he allowed the paper to burn to ashes. After the paper burnt down to nothing, he, then, wrote sugar on the outside of the tube, and taped the paper into the tube itself over the other words.

Afterwards, he carried his papers and that tube over to the conference room, where Paul has been waiting for him to show up, not knowing that Michael jus turned into a vampire inside his office after he broke the code of the tube.

Then, as Michael arrives inside the conference room late like usual for the meeting, Paul, who has waited at least an hour for him to show up, suddenly, disappears before Michael’s eyes. And some people, he’s never seen before, thinking that they are jus some newbie reporters for the New York news, suddenly, seem to show up from nowhere.
So, Michael thinks that these newbies jus wanted some publicity before become actual reporters. However he thinks that these people jus followed him into the room, being that he’s never met them before. And weren’t inside the building before when he entered, and walked down the hall to his office. Because at that time, only, Paul was inside the building, but in the conference room. And these guys, newbie to Michael, seemed to show up from nowhere, so he got the impression that these guys jus decided to walk into the room jus to be noisy.

Upon Michael and the other guys taking their seats in the conference room, Mike started talking before any of the others could say one word,

“This morning in coming from the lab jus down the street on Broadway, jus before I left the lab, Paul told me, that one of the tubes in the lab were under suspicion. So, that tube which was unlabeled at the time happened to be the one which I have with me at this particular time. And it happened that jus as I had been examining the contents of the tube, I started sneezing heavily, and had to put this mask on in order to get my breath back.”

Paul replied, “Oh no, why are you such an idiot at times? Whatever you do, don’t open that tube in this room or any other room inside this building. I’ve heard that whatever is in that tube, could be dangerous, possibly, life threatening.”

Michael said with a puzzled look on his face, “You’ve got to be kidding, Paul. Why did you, tell me to pick up that tube in the first place if it wasn’t labeled. None of us know what could be inside that tube.”

Paul replied, “You didn’t open up that tube while inside this building, did you, Michael?”

“In fact, I did, Paul. That’s why I sneezed so hard, that I now have to wear this mask in order to breathe when ever inside this building.”

“Oh no, Michael, if the health department finds out about that tube, and whatever is actually inside it, they’ll soon be all over all of us. And won’t leave us alone, possibly, placing all of us in quarantine until they’re sure, that the contents of that tube aren’t life threatening. This could cause an almost widespread disaster amongst all of us and anyone who could have inhaled the substance, especially, you, Michael.”

One of the newbies commented on what he jus said, “That means that even any of us newbies, if any of us come in contact with this tube which is now lying on the table, or even if any of the spores of this substance, jus happen to float onto our skin, any of us could soon become so deathly sick from it.”

Suddenly, there was a dead silence around the whole room, and then, Michael still wearing his plastic gloves, suggested that all leave the room immediately. And instructed all to wait outside the room until he placed the tube back into his pocket; however Paul said to him, “That’s not going to do any of us, any good, to put the tube into your pocket.”

Upon handing masks out to everyone in the conference room, Mike, then, said to everyone, “Whatever you do, don’t even go near this tube, or open it up because like Paul jus warned all of us, the contents could be dangerous if inhaled.”

Paul, then, said, “Don’t anyone listen to his orders to wait outside the conference room because as long as you all keep wearing these masks while inside the building, especially, this conference room at any time, you all should be safe. And another thing, doesn’t even be tempted to open up the tube on the table, or even touch it without wearing plastic gloves.”

Michael, then, said to all the newbies, and Paul, “What I’m going to do is take this tube back to the lab, and get it examined. And when I get the results on it, I’ll let you all know what’s really inside this tube. Jus because Michael opened the tube inside his office, and inhaled its contents, I’m going to make sure, that he’s examined, immediately, over at the doctor’s office inside this building.”
Then, one of the newbies who used to be a doctor, said to all jus before they all left the conference room, “As a precaution, I’m going to give each one of you, a special antibiotic, known to kill all unknown viruses. It might cause numerous symptoms like flu-like symptoms, and has to be taken for 60 days; however it’ll prevent each one of us from dying from the virus if one is found inside this tube.”

So, then, jus after each one was given the antibiotic by the doctor, and each prescription filled over at the pharmacy next door, then, Paul ended the meeting. And from there, all went back to what they were doing before the meeting, except for Michael, whom Paul ordered to go see the doctor inside the building.

And as Michael walked with Paul over to the doctor’s office on that same floor, upon them both arriving inside the office, Paul said to the doctor, “The reason both of us are here is to be examined for any symptoms of a possible virus, that could have been placed into action through inhalation of the contents of this tube which I have in my hand. And please have the health department examine it because it’s important, that it be checked out because right now, many lives of people who work in this building, especially, we and the newbies could be at stake here.”

So, then, Doctor Freely said to both of the guys, I’m going to take several blood tests right here in my office from you two guys. So please take a seat, both of you, and a nurse will be right with you. I have to go attend to a patient, who has been having flu-like symptoms for a few days, and needs a potent antibiotic, prescribed to him, so that he’ll be able to get well, so he can go back to work. In fact, I’m sure you know him, Paul, because Michael is the one, I’m referring to.”

Jus before the doctor could say another word, Paul said to him somewhat angry, “Why didn’t you say something before this, Michael? That tube, you happened to get from the lab, this morning, have you been performing unsafe procedures while handling this tube? You must have because you mentioned during the meeting, that you opened up the tube in your office jus before coming to the meeting.”

“But I put plastic gloves on and a mask jus before opening the tube? How could have I inhaled the substance?”

“Maybe, there’s a leak in the tube,” said the doctor, “All tubes from that lab down the street aren’t considered safe, anymore. There have been reports by the health department of people, who have handled any of the tubes, even the labeled ones, of changing the substances of the tubes or even placing fake names on them.”

The doctor was having this discussion with Michael as he’s being led to another room for a complete examination including the extensive blood tests which could take about an hour. So, then, upon the nurse taking Paul’s blood, he, then, left his mask on, and walked down the hall over to Michael’s office while Michael still is being examined.

Upon Paul entering Michael’s office after prying the door open with careful hands, he, then, walked over to Michael’s desk. And then, he opened up every single drawer and also each one of the cabinets. And before going over to the cabinets, he jus happened to notice, that there was a bunch of ashes inside the wastebasket beside Michael’s desk.

As he looked inside the wastebasket, he pulled out a piece of paper which didn’t burn all the way. And upon looking at it, he noticed, that he could make out a word, Anthrax, and jus on the other side of it, the word, virus, was in plain letters. So, immediately, he become overanxious, and didn’t know what to do.

In the meantime, as the doctor examined Michael, he, suddenly, keeled over, and immediately, the nurse came inside the room, and gave him, some oxygen through a mask. However as he came to, he complained of being dizzy and lightheaded and very sick to his stomach, and very weak.

So, then, immediately, the nurse took over seeing the next patient at least giving him and all the patients after that one, blood tests to test for a bad virus strain, that came up in Michael’s blood test.

In the meantime, the doctor had to rush him to the hospital which is jus a few streets down in the city of New York. And as the doctor arrived with him, immediately, he was taken out of the doctor’s car in a wheelchair, in case, he happened to pass out again.

And as the doctor and Michael arrived inside the emergency room, Michael, immediately, got taken by another doctor, and more blood tests were taken over at the hospital while the doctor from the New York news building stayed with Michael jus after his blood tests were performed.

When the results of his blood tests came back, they confirmed jus what the doctor had suspected over at the news building, that Michael had a variant strain of a bad virus. And then, the doctor, immediately, gave him, a more potent antibiotic for the virus; however Michael is in critical condition. And it is possible, that he might not live much longer as a result of having inhaled the virus over at his office.

This is because the virus is very deadly to anyone whom comes in contact with it, so; then, Michael got taken to the ICU where he got watched very carefully by the doctor and nurses. Also, he, immediately, got put on oxygen, and also, had to be put on a ventilator being he, no longer, could breathe on his own.

Also, the poor guy, also, had to put in quarantine, so it meant that no one, not even any of his friends from the news building or his family of two boys could see Michael at this time until a couple days from now when the antibiotic took full effect on his body.

So, then, the doctor who had driven Michael over to the hospital, then, drove back to the news building, but not before being tested for the virus too being that he had come in contact with the tube which contained the virus from the lab. It’s possible that he too could have inhaled the virus because a leak had been found in the tube.

Back at Michael’s home, his family, his two sons and wife, Shirley, were playing a game when the phone rang. Shirley hadn’t the faintest idea of whom could be on the phone at this time because her husband, Michael, usually never called her while he’s at work being that he’s a very busy guy as a reporter, and usually ends up going all over town, trying to get news stories.

So, Shirley opened up her cell phone, and as she did, she didn’t recognize the voice on the phone and said, “Who is this? Is there something going on over at the news building in New York? Do you have some breaking news for me whom I don’t know about yet?”

“This is the doctor from the New York news building.”

“A doctor,” she said in a surprised voice, “what’s going on? Michael hasn’t been in an accident, has he?”

“I’m afraid that the news is a lot worse, than you would have expected? Your husband, Michael, is in critical condition, and might not live through the night. He’s in a coma at this time, and breathing by use of a ventilator, I’m afraid to say.”

“When can I come to visit him? Is the family allowed to see him at all at this time?”

“No, I’m afraid not, Shirley. Michael is in such bad condition, that no one can see him at this time. He’s in quarantine right now, and has been found out to have some bad strain of virus. And the antibiotics, he’s on are very potent, and might not take affect on him until another day or so. But right now, the nurse is giving the antibiotics through an IV, hoping that his condition will improve faster.”

She didn’t know what to say being she’s speechless at this time. Here she jus was starting to get closer to her husband being he had been very distant towards her and the family. But now his lives on the line, so she felt, she had to see Michael as soon as possible to let him know, how much she and the sons love their daddy.

So, she jus hung up and phone and then, being her two sons saw the worried look on her face, she knew that she couldn’t keep what was going on with their daddy, a secret.

So she said to them, “Now, you guys, I don’t know how to tell you two this without getting you both upset. Your daddy is in the hospital and is in critical condition, so I can’t even go there to see him until the doctor says it’s okay to see him. And your daddy could be dying being that a bad virus is inside him, and he could give it to you if I take you two to see him.”

Neither one of them even responded to her. They jus both started crying, and then, ran right to their rooms, and closed their doors after curling up in bed. They couldn’t take this at all; so their mommy was afraid, that both of them jus might do something crazy. So she ran upstairs, and wouldn’t even allow her sons to be in their rooms alone, and then, when neither one would budge from their rooms, she then, left them alone. She was jus hoping that neither one would think of killing themselves now that both of them knew, that their daddy was very ill and was near death.

In the meantime, over at the New York news building, Paul jus got through searching through Michael’s office which he has been doing for a few hours now. And jus before leaving, he, again, checked inside one of the drawers of Michael’s desk, and this time, he found a decoder. So, now, he jus realized, how Michael decoded the paper, he had originally found inside the tube.

But jus as he’s leaving the office, the telephone rang, his cell phone, so, as he answered it, he’s surprised, that Michael is in the hospital, and has very little time to live. But he can’t be allowed in Michael’s room over at the hospital, because of the danger, he could also contract the virus.

Upon finding out the bad news, he wouldn’t even tell anyone else about the bad news being that anyone, even the newbie reporters of the New York news, could bring him to court for suggesting, that Michael inspect the tube. And as he’s leaving Michael’s office, suddenly, the health department along with the police swarmed into the building. And before he knew it, they all were on top of him as they were reporters, themselves.

The cops were searching him for anything related to the story about his best friend, Michael, being taken to the hospital upon collapsing inside the doctor’s office. But one of the cops found some cocaine which he found in one of Paul’s pockets. So, Paul got arrested right on the spot, and as he was, one of the cops said to him, “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say could be used against you. You have the right to an attorney.

But before he could say one word, immediately, some of the newbie reporters were actually carrying him out of the building, tied up, and before he realized what’s going on, right outside the building, he saw something, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

There, right in the parking lot, he actually saw some vampires before their eyes. He couldn’t figure out what was going on. But one of the vampires looked like Michael. So, it hit him so hard, that he passed out, and had to be rescued from the grass outside the building by one of the vampires which he didn’t know, were vampires at the time.

After the vampire helped him off the ground, then, Michael approached him, and was ready to chew him out. He realized that Paul is responsible for him, becoming a vampire; however Paul jus stood there, and stared at Michael for a few minutes. So he suddenly realized that Michael must have suffered a horrible death in the hospital. And that he came to life again, so that he could get revenge against Paul, for suggesting that he check out that tube with the virus strain inside it.

What is worse, is that Michael’s wife accompanied him, and so, all he could make out, is their faces because the rest of the two, except for their faces, had skin of vampires. This Paul realized as soon as he got helped off of the ground.

Paul’s afraid to try to fight with either Michael or his wife, so he said to them, “How come you two look so different? Did you two die of the virus, and come back to life again?”

So, Michael said to Paul, “I see you figured out what has happened to us. You are the one, who’s responsible for us two dying. So, I don’t think you are going to live much longer, yourself. You don’t know it, but you’ve jus turned pale and that’s why you fell on the ground jus now.”

Paul is speechless, but he’s afraid to get into a fight with Michael. But jus then, Paul has a very shocked look on his face. And he can’t seem to comprehend what exactly is going on. But he’s aware of the fact, that he jus doesn’t feel right, and that he’s too weak to get into any fight with either Michael or his wife. But Michael held out his fist right into Paul’s face, and before he knew it, he’s unconscious. At that Michael started laughing at him and his wife too.

But even though, Paul’s in a coma, he can hear the two laughing at him which is uncommon for a good friend of his to be doing. However being he has a strong will to live, he came out of his coma. And jus after he did, he stood up on his feet, and pulled a shot gun out of his right hand pocket. Right after doing so, he held it out to both Michael and his wife, and before he realized what he’s doing, he shot both of them to death.

So, being the cops were standing around, two of them ran over to Paul, and grabbed him by the arms, placing cuffs on his wrists. At that, he’s arrested for two counts of murder, and before the cops could take him over to the cop car, Paul jus fell on the ground again. And upon one of the cops testing his pulse, he’s stone dead.

And everyone who worked in the New York news building happened to be outside at the time jus after Paul shot down Michael and his wife. And being that this incident placed them all into shock, every one of them jus fell to their deaths with the cops jus walking away, and taking off in their cop cars as if nothing ever happened near the New York news building.

A story about what had occurred over at the New York news building made headlines, that next morning. But no one else from the New York news building, who has been working there along with Michael and Paul, ever found out why Michael and Paul both met their deaths.

But every one of the New York news staff did end up dying from exposure to the substance, the virus which had been inside that tube which Michael had found, that one time inside the lab.

And all those deaths became a mystery to the whole city of New York, even though, the newbies had found out somehow, that Michael and Paul and the rest of the workers had all been exposed to the virus spores from the test tube, that same day on which Michael had brought the test tube inside the building.